Recovery
by mcat
Summary: epilogue to Revenge


RECOVERY

By mcat - mcat40@hotmail.com

June 20, 1999

Rated 

Author's note - This story directly follows my last one, "Revenge."

RECOVERY

Lundy walked down the hospital corridor. He headed down the same hallway he'd traversed for the past week. He didn't have to think about where he was going anymore. He'd spent all his off duty time here with Joe. At least until the nurses kicked him out for the night. But that was when he worried most. That was when Joe slept. That was when Joe dreamed. That was when Joe relived the nightmare. And that was when he relived his own nightmare, his feelings of helplessness.

He stopped outside the doorway and leaned up against the wall. He sighed deeply and closed his eyes as he prepared himself for the visit. It's not that he wasn't looking forward to seeing Joe - just the opposite - he reveled in the sight of his partner. A week ago he'd spent an agonizing twenty-four hours thinking that he'd never see him again. He thanked God every minute he could, that Joe was alive. But Joe was definitely not the hospital's favorite patient. He complained every waking minute about being cooped up in the place, wanting to get out. Then he complained about the food. The lack of privacy. The lack of anything to do. Lundy knew some of those were valid complaints, especially the food one. But deep down Lundy knew that Joe was just venting his anger and frustration, trying to hide his physical and emotional pain as well as his fear. 

"_I'm fine, Lundy_," he would say every time Lundy saw a hint of pain in Joe's expression.

And then, except for the initial interview and statement about his abduction, he's flat out refused to talk about those twenty-four hours. Even to Lundy. That's what hurt Lundy the most. He knew that Joe was hurting, not just physically, from the incident. He'd read Joe's statement about what Stephanie Mills did to him. How could he _not_ be emotionally scarred from that? But again, the '_I'm fine, Lundy_,' line comes out. He wouldn't tell the man he loved about it, even knowing that it could only help.

'Stubborn boy,' Lundy thought, taking another deep breath and entering the room.

"You're late," Joe said, looking at his partner.

"Well that's a fine 'how do you do' for the love of your life," Lundy retorted.

"Sorry," Joe replied, looking down. "I've just been so damned bored!" he added, trying to look exasperated.

"Well, do you wanna know why I'm late, LaFiamma?" Lundy asked, baiting him.

"Okay, I'll bite. Why are you late?" he asked.

"I was talkin' with your doctor. Says you can get out tomorrow," he answered, watching for Joe's reaction.

"No shit?" he asked, looking hopeful for the first time all week.

"All we gotta do is arrange some follow up visits with the orthopedist and physical therapists," Lundy replied.

"So, do it!" Joe ordered.

"Just calm down a minute, LaFiamma," Lundy began. "We got other arrangements to make as well." He waited for Joe's attention before continuing, "Like, I gotta get some time off work so I can take care of ya."

"What do you mean, take care of me?" Joe asked.

"LaFiamma, you can't walk. You can barely move one hand and you can't move the other," Lundy replied. "It would be a lot easier for you to stay at my place. It's bigger and doesn't have as many stairs."

"Haven't you ever heard of home health aides?" Joe asked.

"I want to do this. For you," Lundy answered softly.

"Oh, great," Joe lamented. "I'm sure the rumors are already flying fast and furious about us, between you practically living here and what _she_ did."

Lundy saw Joe wince at the memory of Stephanie Mills. 

"What's gonna happen when you take time off to take care of me?" he asked, continuing.

"I don't care anymore," Lundy replied tipping his head back, looking toward the ceiling, trying to remain calm. He paced the room and continued, "Don't you get it LaFiamma? YOU are important to me. When you were gone, I realized just how much of my life you'd become. The department can go to hell for all I care. As long as I get to be with you."

Joe sat and stared at his partner, letting the information sink in.

"You mean that?" he asked.

"I said it, didn't I?" Lundy replied quietly, sitting on the edge of the bed.

~~~

"Are you sure about this?" Joe asked.

"How many times I gotta tell you, LaFiamma? I'm sure!" Lundy replied, exasperated, as he drove the Jimmy up the driveway.

"You sure you got all my stuff?" Joe asked.

"If I forgot anything, I'll drive back to your place," he assured Joe, patting him on the thigh.

"Okay," Joe ceded, looking at Lundy.

Lundy looked back at his partner. Joe's left arm was slung and strapped to his chest. The fingers sticking out of the bandaging and cast were still swollen. The orthopedist was optimistic though, that Joe wouldn't have any permanent damage to the wrist. His face was still dotted with bruises, though they were starting to fade, now turning that sickly yellow color. His right knee was wrapped in an Ace bandage for the ride home. Lundy retrieved the brace from the back seat and got out of the Jimmy. Joe already had the door open and was trying to turn himself in the passenger seat. 

"Easy, easy," Lundy soothed, seeing Joe struggle with the movement. "Let me help," he added, gently taking the injured knee in his hands, maneuvering it out of the vehicle.

Lundy quickly put the brace on the extended leg and fastened the straps. Grabbing Joe's right arm and slinging it across his shoulder, the two slowly made their way to the house. Lundy got Joe as far as the couch before easing him down onto it, grabbing pillows to prop up the knee.

"You want a drink?" Lundy asked.

"How about a nice glass of Sangria?" Joe replied, only to get a raised eyebrow look from Lundy. "Couldn't hurt to ask," he muttered.

"How about some orange juice, instead," Lundy offered, heading to the kitchen.

He opened the fridge and shook his head. He wasn't used to seeing the thing full. He poured the orange juice into a glass and walked back to the living room, only to find Joe asleep. Lundy smiled. He put down the glass, took the crocheted afghan off the rocking chair and gently spread it over his partner.

oooOOOooo

Lundy was on the porch when he heard the scream. He ran into the house and found Joe in the throes of a nightmare, just about to fall off the couch. He got to his side and held him.

"Joe? Joe, wake up, partner," he said quietly, caressing his face. "Easy, easy. Sssh. It's just a dream," he soothed.

Joe opened his eyes and looked around, gasping for air. He continued in his panic, though.

"Joe? Joe, come on," Lundy called, taking his partner's face in his hands, turning it toward his own. "You're safe. You're at my place," he said slowly, evenly, smoothing the sweaty locks off of Joe's forehead.

Slowly, Joe started to calm down. His breathing slowed and his body relaxed. 

"Sorry," he murmured, embarrassed.

"Ain't no need to be sorry. I've had a few nightmares myself, lately," Lundy said.

Joe looked up sharply, locking gazes with Lundy. Lundy just leaned in and gave Joe a gentle kiss.

"It's alright," he said, pulling back. "Maybe if we talk about it, we can get rid of these nightmares of yours."

"I'm fine, Lundy," Joe said, mechanically.

"Dammit, LaFiamma!" Lundy exclaimed, getting up off the couch. "When are you gonna realize that '_NO_, you're _not _fine!? That _nobody _that has ever went through what you did is gonna _be_ fine, until they talk about it?"

"You been talking to the department shrink, Lundy?" Joe shot back. "You sound just like he did when he came to talk to me in the hospital."

"Did you talk to him?" Lundy asked.

"I didn't need to. I'm handling this," Joe answered.

"You call having nightmares every time you go to sleep, 'handling it,' LaFiamma?" Lundy retorted. "You call waking up half the floor at the hospital 'handling it?' I talked with your doctor, Joe," he continued. "They had to give you special medicine to put you so far out that you wouldn't wake up in the middle of the night."

Joe squirmed on the couch, fighting back tears as Lundy confronted him.

"Talk to me, Joe," Lundy said, sitting back down on the couch, using his thumb to wipe away a tear on Joe's cheek.

"When's it gonna end?" Joe cried, squeezing his eyes shut. "I am so tired of it all! The nightmares. The pain. I can't stop seeing her. Every time my wrist hurts, I remember them turning me over. I didn't know which was the worst - the sound of my wrist breaking, the feel of it, or not knowing what she was gonna do to me next. Every time my knee hurts, I see her winding up, stomping on it again. And then I hear her voice. Telling me that it's not over. That next time it's gonna hurt a lot worse! When's it gonna end?!" he repeated.

"I can't say when it's gonna end, Joe," Lundy began. "Maybe now, since you got this outta your system. Or, maybe not until she's behind bars. I don't know. But I do know that now that I know what's goin' on in that head of yours, I can try to help," he finished.

"How can you help?" Joe asked, not feeling better yet.

"Because now I know. Now you can tell me what you're thinking. What you're feeling. I might not be able to understand everything, but I'll do my damnedest to try," he said.

Joe looked at his partner, searched for the truth in his eyes and contemplated what he'd said.

"All I'm sayin' is that I'm here. And I'd rather have you talkin' with me, fightin' with me, rantin' and ravin' about what happened than see you keep everything all bottled up inside, eatin' you up," Lundy explained.

Joe nodded his head and leaned forward toward Lundy, reaching his right arm around his partner. Lundy gathered him into his arms and gently embraced him, rubbing his back. Joe winced as his wrist was pressed between the two.

"God! I can't even touch you without hurting myself," he sobbed, pulling away from Lundy, collapsing back onto the couch.

"Then let me touch you," Lundy responded, carefully leaning down to kiss Joe's eyes, licking the salty tears away. Then he moved to his partner's mouth. "Let me make you feel better," he whispered, licking Joe's lower lip. "I've missed you so much," he added, looking into Joe's eyes, asking permission to continue.

"I've missed you, too," Joe replied, kissing Lundy.


End file.
